Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Today in the News Media

Today in the News Media is a synopsis of some of the most prominent coverage of OSU people and programs. Inclusion of any item constitutes neither an endorsement nor a critique, but rather is intended only to make the OSU community aware of significant items in the media.

Oregon company finds new recycling niche (Washington Energy Services)
Agri-Plas is using a new process developed by Oregon State University graduate Kevin DeWitt that can break down old plastic and turn it back into oil.Coming home (Bend Bulletin)
Jonathan Green — a 24-year-old professional golfer who in 2003 helped Sisters High School win a state golf championship and then was a four-year golfer at Oregon State University — has returned home to start his own golf academy.Earthquake Warning Has Oregon on Its Toes (Finding Dulcinea.net)
James Roddey, a spokesman for the state agency, said the latest findings regarding tectonic activity at the Oregon coast come from Chris Goldfinger, director of the Active Tectonics and Seafloor Mapping Lab at Oregon State University.

Success Stories: Cleaning Up Planet Earth (Live Science)
Management of overfishing is improving and will continue to do so with Oregon State University marine biologist Jane Lubchenco as the new chief of NOAA.

Today

The Corvallis Transit System is celebrating Earth Day. In recognition of this event, CTS, the Philomath Connection, Albany transit System, and the Linn-Benton Loop will provide free bus rides all day.

OSU FeelGood and the OSU Hunger and Poverty Committee are making and giving away grilled cheese and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the MU Quad. One hundred percent of the proceeds will be donated to local and international hunger projects.

The spring term diversity book club discussion of Stubborn Twig by Lauren Kessler will be held today from noon – 1:30 p.m. in the Valley Library Willamette Room. Don’t miss this classic story of immigrants making their way in Oregon beginning in the years before statehood. It is a living work of social history that rings with the power of truth and the drama of fiction, a moving saga about the challenges of becoming an American. This award-winning book bears eloquent witness to both the promise and peril of America. Bring your lunch and join the conversation. For more information or to request accommodation, call 541-737-4381.

The OSUsed Day Store is open today, offering you a chance to buy used surplus equipment at great prices. Vehicles, bicycles, computers, cabinets, scientific equipment, furniture and more will be available from noon to 3 p.m. at 644 SW 13th St., Corvallis.

The OSURA membership services committee is sponsoring a program scheduled for 3 to 5 p.m. today in the Construction and Engineering Hall at the LaSells Stewart Center. The program is titled “Your Health and Medicare: How to be a Savvy Consumer” and will be presented by Lee Strandberg and Christie Lynch from the Managed Care Pharmacy from Samaritan Health Plans. This presentation will be in two parts:
1. How to compare your Medicare health insurance options. The purpose of this presentation is to provide individuals with a tool to evaluate their options in Medicare health insurance.
2. What do you need to know about Part D drug coverage? The purpose of this presentation is to help individuals better understand and navigate the pharmacy benefit under Medicare Part D.
No registration is necessary; this session will not be taped. If you have any questions regarding this program, please contact Steve Davis at: steven.l.davis@oregonstate.edu.

The public is invited to enjoy free food and live music at the seventh annual Earth Day Hoo Haa on a student-run organic farm on the outskirts of Corvallis today.The festivities, sponsored by Oregon State University’s Organic Growers Club, will take place from 3-7 p.m. A free shuttle van to the farm will depart from the OSU Bookstore every 15 minutes. To drive to the farm, take state Route 34 east after crossing the Willamette River, then turn left onto an unnamed dirt road after the Trysting Tree Golf Club.

George Wittenstein will speak on “A Personal Account of the White Rose,” as part of OSU Holocaust Memorial Week, 7:30 p.m., Austin Auditorium, LaSells Stewart Center.

The Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity offers more opportunities to attend the Affirmative Action Search Advocate 2-Workshop series during the second half of April. The sessions explore and apply theories, principles, strategies, and practices that can add value to any internal or external search (especially during economic crisis when hiring opportunities are limited and the stakes are particularly high).
Part I: overview; potential biases/opportunities to promote diversity in the search process, 2 to 5 p.m. Register: http://oregonstate.edu/training/course_view.php?crse_id=142

Upcoming Events

NEW! The Helping Students Succeed Tradeshow and Career Fair at the CH2M Hill Alumni Center takes place April 23, from 12:30 to 7 p.m. This event incorporates the Chamber’s traditional CorBiz with the career fair for all 5 high schools in Benton County in the morning. Then has teamed with OSU & LBCC welcoming all staff & students in the afternoon as well as the public. Register online for this event at www.cbchambercoalition.com or for more information, contact the Corvallis-Benton Chamber Coalition at 541-757-1505.
Event Timeline:
12:30-1:30 pm Networking Lunch for exhibitors & Volunteers
1:30-3 p.m. OSU and LBCC Communities
1:30-7 p.m. Open to the public

OSU testing Emergency Alert system this Friday
Oregon State University is participating in an earthquake preparedness drill this Friday, April 24, and as part of that, will be performing a test of its Emergency Alert System at 10 a.m. that day. If you have not previously logged into the OSU system to review and modify your contact information, you are encouraged to do so prior to the test to make sure that for Friday and into the future, you’re set to receive important emergency information in exactly the way that suits you best.
To access the system, visit http://alert.oregonstate.edu/ and select “Enter your emergency contact information” on the left side of that page. You’ll be prompted to enter your ONID e-mail address and OSU ID number on the subsequent page. After that, modify your record as you see fit, inputting whatever telephone numbers, text message information and e-mail addresses are most likely to reach you or someone close to you in the event of an emergency. You can enter up to six phone numbers, two e-mail addresses and one SIMS/text message number.
Tip: In previous tests of the Emergency Alert System, we’ve found that messages are usually delivered more quickly to cell phones and home numbers than OSU land lines, due to capacity issues, and therefore recommend those as primary options for telephone notification. Text messages and e-mails are typically delivered within a few minutes of the message being sent.
Questions? Please e-mail jack.rogers@oregonstate.edu or todd.simmons@oregonstate.edu

Would like to learn more about bike repair or work to build your own bike? “Get to Know your Local Bicycle Co-Op” is an Earth Week event being held on April 23, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Student Sustainability Center, 738 SW 15th St (near 15th & Western). Stop by this open house to meet other bikers, learn how to get involved, and enjoy free food.

Campus Recycling will host Dr. Marcus Eriksen and Anna Cummins of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation April 24, 3 to 4:30 p.m. in 109 Strand Agriculture Hall for a presentation called “Synthetic Sea, Synthetic Me: Plastics in the Ocean.” They will share their voyage riding on a raft made from 15,000 recycled bottles to Hawaii to visit the plastic debris “island” forming in the North Pacific Ocean. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own cup for free smoothies made with a bike-powered blender!

An Ad Hoc Review Committee has been charged by the Executive Committee of the OSU Faculty Senate to review the Bacc Core, determine whether updates are needed, and if they are, recommend specific changes for the purpose of enhancing undergraduate education at OSU. A series of spring quarter focus groups have been scheduled in order to gather campus views about the structure and implementation of the Bacc Core; the remaining sessions are:
For Teaching Faculty: April 23, from 8 to 9 a.m. in MU 211
For GTAs: April 28th from 8 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 5 p.m. in MU 207. No registration required. For more information contact: john.bailey@oregonstate.edu
For more current and upcoming events, go to http://oregonstate.edu/events/newsevents/events.php

News for Employees

Committee Interest Forms will be accepted through April 24. If you’d like to volunteer to serve on a university or faculty senate committee, the online form can be accessed at http://oregonstate.edu/senate/committees/forms/cif/2009/. If you have questions or wish to resign from current committee membership, please either contact your committee chair or e-mail vickie.nunnemaker@oregonstate.edu and include your name, the name of the committee from which you wish to resign, and your effective date of resignation.

The Commencement Committee is seeking volunteers to help with the 140th Commencement Ceremony to be held on June 13 at Reser Stadium. This year’s ceremony starts at 10:30 a.m. Volunteers are needed from 8 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. This is a great opportunity to assist with one of the oldest traditions at OSU. Volunteers work with guests to assist them to finding seats within the stadium and meeting the needs of over 15,000 family and friends of our graduates. For additional information and to sign up online please visit – http://oregonstate.edu/events/commencement/volunteers

OSU Alumni Association is offering a $3500 scholarship to support a summer internship in Washington, D.C. Do you know a deserving student? All undergraduate majors and fields are eligible for this great opportunity. Application and more information at osualum.com. Deadline is May 1.

Traffic and Maintenance

Due to annual maintenance on the campus steam distribution system, Facilities Services will need to temporarily shut-down all steam services to the campus. This will affect all hot water and heating services. The shutdown will begin at 6 p.m. on June 14 and we anticipate restoring services by 12 a.m. June 20. If you have any questions concerning the steam shutdown, you may contact Les Walton @ 541-737-4395.

Weather

Today will be cloudy with a high of 59, and an overnight low of 37. Tomorrow the high will reach 56.